Trace refers to the record of user information that conforms to a specific condition on a user terminal or a mobile communication network element. There are two modes for starting trace function: management-based mode and signaling-based mode; where, in management-based mode, a network management console sends a command to each network element that needs to start trace function, and the network element that receives the command starts the related trace function; in signaling-based mode, trace function is started stage by stage, and the network management console sends a trace function start command to each of the first stage network elements that needs to start trace function, where the trace function start command includes information of a traced object, condition for each network element to start trace function, the next stage network element that needs each network element to start trace function and condition to send a trace function start command to the next stage network element. Each network element starts trace function when the corresponding trace start condition is met, and it sends a trace function start command to the next stage network element that needs to start trace function when the condition to send a trace function start command to the next stage network element is met.
In the existing mobile communication technologies, when call connection is established between mobile communication users or between a mobile communication user and other fixed communication network users or integrated services digital network users, various identification numbers are needed, typically as follows.
1) International Mobile Station Identify (IMSI): IMSI is shorted as user identity, for identifying a user in a Global System Mobile (GSM) or a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN).
2) International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI): IMEI is the unique number information for identifying a mobile network element.
3) Mobile Subscriber Integrated Services Digital Network Number (MSISDN): MSISDN is user mobile phone number, which is the number for a Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN) or an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) to dial to a mobile communication system.
Mobile communication network includes wireless access network and core network. When a user uses a service, the mobile communication user is identified in a core network according to the number information of MSISDN, IMSI and IMEI. In a wireless access network, the card and terminal used by a mobile communication user is identified according to the number information of IMSI and IMEI. Therefore, during information tracing process, a network element generally identifies a traced user and realizes information trace on the traced user according to the IMSI number information or the IMEI number information of the user.
Because a mobile communication user generally knows only the mobile terminal number, i.e., MSISDN number, and does not know the IMSI and IMEI number, the user can only provides the MSISDN number when a complaint is made. In the prior art, information trace is started according to the IMEI or IMSI number of a traced user after the corresponding IMEI or IMSI number is determined beforehand according to the MSISDN number of the user. The advanced number conversion greatly lowers the processing efficiency of the trace service, and this problem is especially prominent when there are a large number of user complaints.